Guiding Stars

Making Good Food Choices EasyUND has partnered with Guiding Stars of offer students an objective food rating system in the dining centers, convenience stores and Old Main Marketplace. Food is rated based on nutrient density using a scientific algorithm. Rated foods are marked with easy-to-follow tags indicating 1, 2, or 3 stars.

What to Look forThe more nutritional value a food has, the more Guiding Stars it receives.

One Guiding Star indicates good nutritional value

Two Guiding Stars indicate better nutritional value

Three Guiding Stars indicate the best nutritional value

Here's How it WorksA proprietary algorithm based on a food’s nutrient density per 100 calories determines the Guiding Stars 0, 1, 2, 3 rating system. Meaning, foods are individually rated against a strict standard, not each other.

And it’s a standard grounded in evidence-based nutrition science — our Scientific Advisory Panel consults the current dietary guidelines and recommendations of leading national and international health organizations, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Health and Human Services, National Academy of Sciences and the World Health Organization.